Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-08
BEATING A RAILROAD.
The Strange Adventure of Detroit
Newspaper Man.

Newspaper Man.
Down In New York State, writes Nj,
Quad in the Detroit Free Press, there is q
railroad called the Rome, WATERFOWL and
Some Other Place railroad. believe the
some other place is Ogdensburg. Last
summer occasion required that should
use this line of road for about 60 miles,
and l left Rome one morning feeling at
peace with all mankind. The conductor
6ame along in due time to take up the
tickets, and l made it point TO ask him
II we were on time. / didn't care a cop
per whether we were two hours
ahead or two hours behind time,
but 1 wanted to exhibit a
friendly spirit and let him know that
was interested in his welfare. A passen-
ger who won't show his hand to con-
ductor ought to be made TO ride in the
baggage car. He uttered grunt in reply
TO my question and passed on. If he was
too overworked and heart-brOken to utter
yes or no that was not my fault. He
put green ticket in the band of my hat
to show that | was cash passenger, and
] went to sleep to dream that mad pop
ulace were about to hang Jay Gould be-
cause he didn't pay his railroad conduc-
tors a salary of $1,000 year.
"Ticketp yelled a voice In my ear, and
] awoke to find the broken-hearted con-
jductor towering above me.
"What do you wantP'
"Your ticketV
"Gave it to you an hour ago."
where's your checkp
"ID my hat"
''See here, young man." growled the
broken-hearted conductor, 81 want your
check or YOUR fare.'
The check was not in my hat. 1t was
not in any of my fourteen pockets. 1t was
not on the seat or the floor, nor above nor
beneath the earth. 1t took ten minutes
to satisfy the Over-worked conductor of
this fact.
"But had it," persisted.
II doubt it,"
Don't you remember of my asking you,
when you took my ticket, if we were on
timer
"No, sir! If l had ever been asked such
question as that l should have surely
remembered it,"
"This man here must have seen my
ticket, for l saw him looking into nay
wallet.''
"You are liar!" promptly responded
the passenger. who had the seat behind
me.
Sand you must either pay your fare or
get off," added the conductor.
''LOok here, old fellow, | bought my
ticket in the regular way, handed il over
according to rule, and the fact that /
have kept my seat for sixty miles Is evil
dence that you received the ticket. Don't
make 8 side show of yourself about the
check, which is but bit of cardboard,
ANYHOW. | have always sympathiZed
with conductors as poor but strictly
honest lot OF men. | feel that you are
overworked and Overburdened, and that
you are many times the object of unjust
suspicious. When / make my Will |
shall remember at least twenty-five con-
ductOrs to the extent of -"
81 want that checkW
81 haven't got it,
"Then | want your tareV
81 have paid once"
He reached up and seized the bell rope
and demanded:
"Wlll you pay~
"NOt tO-day.'
He pulled the cord, and the train came
TO a standstill in about quarter of a
mile.
NOW, then, off with youp'
you'll have to put me off! Ive paid
my fare, and if go off l want show for
suit for DAMAGES
He beckOned for the brakeman. l have
always sympath zed with the brakemen
as a class, believing them to be gentle
minded creatures who suffered and en-
dured simply to keep trains running for
thes convenience Of the public. The
brakeman came, and the pair lifted me up
and helped me down the ais.e aud drop
ped me off among the daisies. sat down
ON the grass, and, as the train moved of,
the conductor remarked:
Next time you try this dodge on me
you'll get badly thumped!'
Isat there for 8enty minutes, and then
the rear end of the tram, as it backed up,
came into view. 1t stopped opposite me,
and the conductor came down and said:
"My dear sir, beg thousand par
donsl We found your check under the
seat, and nave come back for you'll"
Then had checkY'
''You did!"
"And am not a dead beatP
''Pll shoot the man VINO says you arer'
'But you put me off, and L want dam
ages from the company.'
Say, don't do 1t! You'll ruin me
PVe got two children sick with scarlet
fever, wife VINO is bad-ridden, a mother
VINO needs my support, father --''
got aboard and the train went on.
The man who had called me Il liar begged
my pardon, the brakeman wanted 10
adopt me for his own son, and a dozen
passengers came TO shake hands and say
that my magnanimOus spirit would surely
he re Warded in heaven.